2026 World Cup will be “epic”
When FIFA boss Infantino raves, the world reels
February 5, 2024, 2:08 p.m
World Cup crowning in New Jersey, opening in Mexico City: FIFA has published the schedule for the mammoth 2026 World Cup – huge challenges await. No problem for FIFA boss Gianni Infantino. He goes into raptures again and won’t stop.
Gianni Infantino chose superlatives, of course he did. With the “biggest announcement in the history of announcements,” the FIFA President proudly presented the huge framework for the mammoth 2026 World Cup and revealed the two most exciting secrets: the soccer world champion will be in New Jersey crowned, the opening game on June 11th takes place in Mexico City’s venerable Aztec Stadium. Many other questions remain unanswered and huge challenges await.
Despite this, Infantino indulged in enthusiasm. “This final in 2026, on July 19, 2026, will be epic. It will be fabulous,” he said of the game at MetLife Stadium of the New York football clubs Jets and Giants, where Argentina will be looking for a successor in two and a half years becomes. It is “something unique” to “celebrate and unite the world” in a “city as cosmopolitan” as New York.
The stadium in East Rutherford offers space for 82,500 spectators during football league operations. In addition to the final, it will serve as a venue for seven other games. The duel for third place takes place one day before the final at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami.
For Infantino it’s all about players and fans
104 games, 39 days, 16 venues: The first mega World Cup with 48 teams in the United States, Mexico and Canada not only sets standards in terms of size, but also faces almost insurmountable hurdles. Infantino promised the soccer world “104 Super Bowls in a month” during a live show from Miami, where FIFA trumpeted its plans late Sunday night with the help of rapper Drake and reality star Kim Kardashian. The “extensive planning” would focus on “players and fans”.
Actually? After all, the strain on the audience and teams is growing immensely. The game is played in three groups “West, Middle and East” in four different time zones. The long journeys mean that individual teams are at a competitive disadvantage. The expected summer heat in many North American cities is causing concern. The time at which the games will take place will only be decided after the draw – also and above all due to the TV markets.
Last year, FIFA quickly adjusted the mode for its 23rd World Cup finals. There will be twelve groups of four in the preliminary round, eight best third-place teams will also advance, and an intermediate round will take place before the round of 16. On the way to the World Cup title, eight games have to be played instead of the previous seven. This is just right for Infantino, who has secured his power at the top of FIFA for years through record TV revenues.
Premiere for Canada
With the opening game, the Aztec Stadium in Mexico’s capital becomes the first arena to host games in three finals. Both the 1986 World Cup with the famous “Hand of God” by Argentina legend Diego Maradona in the quarter-finals against England and the 1970 finals with the German “game of the century” in the semi-finals against Italy took place there.
The semi-finals will be played in the football arenas in Atlanta and Arlington, Texas, which have retractable roofs, and the quarter-finals will be played in Los Angeles, Kansas City, Miami and Boston. With nine games, AT&T Stadium near the Texas metropolis of Dallas is also the location with the most fixtures.
The USA has the most arenas with eleven stadiums. There are three venues in Mexico, plus Toronto and Vancouver in Canada. While Mexico is hosting the Men’s World Cup for the third time and the USA for the second time, Canada is celebrating its premiere.